Boaterz and Bikerz Across America starts in Destin, splashes down in San Diego

Special to The Log

Tuesday

May 7, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 7, 2013 at 4:31 PM

On Friday, a merry band of boaters and bikers lifted their kickstands and launched from Legendary Marine and the Legendary Yacht Club in Destin for a grand, 10-day epic adventure across America on motorcycles.

"Boaterz n Bikers Across America: A Hull of a Tour" is cruising a scenic route that encompasses nearly 3,000 miles, with about 20 participants joining in the historic caravan — with riders from as far away as California and Minnesota. Nearly a dozen riders are from the Panhandle.

Motorcycle and boating enthusiast Wanda Kenton Smith, president of Kenton Smith Marketing and director of marketing for Legendary Marine, is the event organizer. A 30-plus year marine industry marketing veteran, former magazine and newspaper editor and current national marketing columnist, Kenton Smith has several editorial assignments to cover the tour, including blogging during the trip for media sponsor Soundings Trade Only, the leading b2b magazine in the boating industry.

"The number one thing on my bucket list has been to ride across the country on my Harley, so I figured now was the time to quit dreaming and to do it," said former Destin resident Kenton Smith. "As an avid motorcyclist and boater, I decided to mix my two great passions and invite others to join me. I'm very excited about the adventure, all the great places we'll ride through and visit, and the many fun things we'll do."

The tour covers stops in Destin to Natchez, Miss., Dallas to Lubbock, Texas, Santa Fe to Farmington, N.M.; Williams, Ariz., to Las Vegas, Nev.; Palm Desert to San Diego. The group will visit antebellum homes, taste its way through the Santa Fe Trail of Chocolate, ride the rim of the Grand Canyon, play in Vegas, scale a mountain on an aerial tram, and no doubt enjoy the ride of a lifetime. Boating activities are also an integral part of the action-packed agenda, thanks to several event sponsors.

Legendary Marine is hosting the launch party at the Legendary Yacht Club, plus providing boats/fuel/captains to escort the group to Destin Harbor for dinner at Harry T's. In Dallas, Marinas International will toast the crew's arrival with a sunset wine and cheese cruise aboard a fabulous 90-foot charter on Lake Grapevine. South Coast Yachts will celebrate the finale with a welcome barbeque and fun afternoon of boating aboard beautiful Beneteau sailboats and power boats on San Diego Bay. Sponsors My-Villages and Southeast Marine Sales & Service helped underwrite the costs associated with the transport/support vehicle and crew.

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